Israeli President Isaac Herzog visits Australia amid protests

Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Australia. (Twitter/@Isaac_Herzog)

JAKARTA - Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Wednesday amid protests against his visit, which is scheduled to last four days.

He was also not invited to speak in the Australian Parliament, following the ongoing protests against his visit.

President Herzog was received by Governor-General Sam Mostyn before proceeding to Parliament House, where he was greeted by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.

PM Albanese thanked Herzog for the comfort and solidarity he had given to the Sydney Jewish community.

Herzog himself said his visit was "very emotional" and an opportunity to bring relations between the two countries to a "new beginning" and a "better future".

"I think the relationship between us depends not only on the issue of Israel and Palestine and the conflict, but as a much broader basis," he said, launching ABC (11/2).

"Saya mengadakan pertemuan yang produktif dengan Perdana Menteri @AlboMP hari ini di Canberra dan berterima kasih atas sambutannya yang hangat.

"We discussed a range of issues of mutual importance: support for the Australian Jewish community after the Bondi attack, combating antisemitism, and international... pic.twitter.com/GX0Udv133b

— Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) February 11, 2026

When meeting Herzog, Prime Minister Albanese raised the issue of the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. He was among seven aid workers killed in an Israeli drone attack in Gaza, in an incident described by the Israel Defense Forces as a "major mistake" caused by "mistaken identity".

PM Albanese said he would continue to push for answers from the Israeli government.

"If President Herzog was not here, I would not be able to raise the issue of Zomi Frankcom with him, and that's what I did this morning, along with various other Australian government concerns," he said during a Question and Answer Session.

"That is why we need to have a dialogue," he said.

As Herzog visited Australia, Israel's security cabinet had taken steps to extend its occupation of the West Bank, which is considered illegal under international law, thus undermining hopes for a two-state solution.

PM Albanese's government condemned the move in a statement as they prepared to welcome Herzog.

"The Australian government has confirmed that illegal settlements are illegal under international law and are a significant obstacle to peace. Changing the Palestinian demographic composition is unacceptable," said a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Ley said he discussed "how we can work together to strengthen our alliance" in his meeting with Herzog, describing the visit as an important moment to strengthen bilateral relations.

"This visit provides a constructive platform to rebuild trust and deepen engagement," he explained.

Meanwhile, two members of the Australian Parliament chose not to attend the Question and Answer Session in protest against Herzog's visit.

Green Party MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown said her protest was about who we are "as a country," while independent MP Sophie Scamps said she "strongly" disagreed with the invitation given to Herzog.

PM Albanese with President Herzog. (Twitter/@Isaac_Herzog)

It is known that the UN Special Commission of Inquiry found that comments made by Herzog after the October 7, 2023 attack in Israel triggered the genocide. A charge he denies.

"The invitation for the head of the Israeli state to visit our parliament normalizes the atrocities that have taken place in Gaza over the past two years," said Dr. Scamps.

Separately, hundreds of protesters staged a peaceful demonstration by gathering in the courtyard and joined federal politicians, including Senator David Pocock and Green Party Leader Larissa Waters.

Senator Pocock had previously called on the government to reject Herzog's parliamentary audience, saying his visit "would only add to the tensions".

Herzog is on a four-day visit to Australia. He arrived in Canberra on Wednesday after two days in Sydney, following an invitation from the Albanese Government almost two months after the Bondi terror attack, which targeted the Jewish Hanukkah celebration on December 14, quoted from SBS News.

Protests against Herzog's arrival were held nationally on Monday and erupted into scenes of violence in Sydney.

The head of state said his visit also provided an opportunity to bring the Australia-Israel relationship to a "new beginning and a better future".

"I think the relationship between us does not only depend on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the conflict, but has a much broader basis," he said.

It is known that Herzog's visit to Canberra was marked by tradition, including a welcoming ceremony with a 21-gun salvo by the Federal Guard, followed by an inspection of the guard.

However, when he arrived at the Government House, people protesting his visit were heard shouting in the background.

Herzog said both Australia and Israel "both need to fight anti-Semitism without hesitation, so we have to eradicate this phenomenon," adding that he shared "our hope that we can bring the relationship between our countries to a new path".

Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Australia. (Twitter/@Isaac_Herzog)

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said the decision "would undermine stability and security".

"The Australian government has made it clear that illegal settlements are illegal under international law and are a significant obstacle to peace. Changing the Palestinian demographic composition is unacceptable," DFAT said in a statement.

"The two-state solution remains the only viable path to long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians."

The demonstrators carried large banners displaying messages including "stop arming Israel", "arrest Herzog", and "justice for Palestine".

Pocock emphasized the right of Australian citizens to demonstrate and questioned the decision of the PM Albanese Government to invite Herzog to Australia.

"We are seeing what is happening in Sydney and there is a worrying crackdown on demonstrations across the country," he said in response to footage of violent clashes between police and protesters.

"I also think it was the wrong decision to invite President Herzog at a time when we have seen so much pressure on the community, tensions in the community across the country," he added.

Mark Gwynneth, a protester in Canberra, said the invitation left him "dumbfounded" and ensured the long-time Labor voter "would never vote" for Mr Albanese's Government again.

"I am disgusted that the government allowed a war criminal, to be invited to this country and allowed to enter our Parliament House," he told SBS News.

"We should have arrested him and sent him to be prosecuted for war crimes."

Another protester slammed the politicization of Bondi's attack, stating that linking it to "the ongoing atrocities in Gaza and even in Palestine is a very wrong thing".

"Herzog should be here to mourn and lament, but instead he is politicizing this process and defending, in a very political way, the interests of Israel and the oppression of the Palestinians," he said.